


all my friends are heathens

by holtzmannzz



Category: Ghostbusters (2016)
Genre: Criminal AU, F/F, and there will also be murdering and stealing and stuff, i love my corrupt little assholes, polybusters - Freeform, there will be sexy times, they evil as hell
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-27
Updated: 2017-07-16
Packaged: 2018-11-19 14:23:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,364
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11315235
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/holtzmannzz/pseuds/holtzmannzz
Summary: criminal! au. Erin is the cities largest mob boss, Holtzmann is a top rated assasain, Abby is a weapons expert, and Patty is an ex-hit man on the run, who just happens to be the best communications liaison there is. When the four of them team up, no one can stand a chance. polybusters af.





	1. post heist blues

A gust of warm wind blew through an open window on the second story of the old firehouse, disturbing a stack of papers atop a cluttered desk.  It was the end of August, and the summer sun had long since set, yet the thick heat remained and stuck to everything it had touched. A digital clock resting haphazardly between several pieces of clothing and books started to beep as it read 2:00 AM. Dull echoes of the noise filled the entire floor of the building, bouncing off the empty hallways and open spaces. 

Thuds and loud voices began to near closer to the clock, the sound of doors slamming open and bags being tossed aside were almost enough to drown out the alarm. 

“Motherfucker.” 

“I told you we wouldn’t be back in time.” 

Four figures appeared at the landing of the stairs and one rushed forward towards the clock, slamming its fist down and shutting off the alarm. 

Lights flicked on and the women winced. The shorter, brunette one kicked off her boots and began to smear the black grease paint off of her face. She grunted and grabbed handfuls of paper towels before turning the sink on. 

The tallest woman followed her to kitchen, but instead opened the fridge and pulled out a can of beer. She cracked the tab and downed the first half of it in one gulp. The can slammed down onto the counter and was followed by a soft hiccup. “You ain’t ever gonna get that paint off, Abs.” She piped up, her voice hoarse and dry. “I told you not to use grease paint. I don’t know where you even got that stuff.” She turned her head to look over to the woman at the sink, who was desperately rubbing her face raw. 

“Shut up, Patty.” The other woman shot her a look before ducking her forehead directly underneath the tap. “Blondie had it in her bag, I figured that’s what it was for!” 

“She actually used that to draw an angry face on the getaway car last week.” The voice of the taller, redhead chimed in from across the room. She slowly closed the window and crossed over to flip the A/C on. The machine by her feet whirred and clicked on, quickly filling the room with cold air. “She thought it would make us look more menacing if the choppers could see us form above.” She gave a light giggle.

“To be fair, it  _ was _ more menacing.” Finally, the smallest of the four spoke up. Her voice was deep, filled with exhaustion and gunpowder. She was holding the digital clock in her hands, almost as if she was cradling a baby. “Erin,” She groaned, turning her head to look towards the red haired woman. 

Erin looked up and walked towards the blonde, taking the clock out of her hands and resting it down onto the table. “I told you we wouldn’t be back in time.” She repeated, taking the blonde’s hand in her own and slowly spinning her as if they were dancing. 

“I didn’t know the top  _ New York’s Most Wanted _ mob boss danced.” Holtzmann said, a small smile hinting on her face.

“I  _ don’t _ . That never happened.” Erin winked.

“I nearly forgot about that stupid bet of yours.” Patty laughed as she tossed her now empty beer can into the garbage. “Holtzy, you only lost by like 45 seconds.” She added, a smirk growing on her face as the blonde pouted. 

“I really thought we would be back in time.” Holtzmann kicked the table the clock rested on and knocked over a pile of papers. Erin frowned. “I need a shower.” Holtz huffed and headed down the hallway, blonde curls bouncing out of the bun they had been in. 

The bathroom door slammed a few seconds later and the tension in the room eased a little. It was silent for a few minutes, the air conditioner buzzing quietly in the background before the sound of running water could be heard from the shower. 

“Is she really that upset about it?” Patty asked, stripping off her jacket and turtleneck so she was left in a white tank top. Erin shrugged and walked over to the counter, taking a seat on the barstool and resting her head down on her arms. 

“I don’t think so.” She answered quietly. “She’s just being dramatic. She’ll be fine tomorrow after she gets some rest. She did a lot tonight.” 

“We all did.” The taller woman reached across the counter and grabbed onto Erin’s hand, rubbing it lightly with her thumb. 

“What are you two talking about?” Abby added, turning off the faucet and drying her face with the last of the paper towels. “What bet? I don’t remember you two making a bet about anything?” She took a seat next to Patty and gave Erin a questioning look. 

Erin grinned, lifting her head a little. “I made a bet with blondie that if we could steal all the money and get back before 2AM that I would convince you guys to give her a celebratory foursome.” 

A cackle of laughter erupted out of all three of them. “So that’s why she was so pouty?” Abby wiped her eyes as she started to cry from laughing. “Motherfucker’s sad because she’s getting blue balls tonight?” 

“Like the fuckin’ million dollars in the duffel bag over there ain’t enough for her.” Patty motioned to the slumped over black bag by the stairs. “She wanted to have some of this,” She ran her hands along her stomach in a mock-dance style and started to laugh again. Erin choked on the bottle of water she had gotten. “I don’t blame her.” 

“You know what I think?” Erin sat up straight and pulled her shirt up over her shoulders, tossing it onto the floor. 

“I got a pretty good idea.”

“Go on.”

The mob queen smiled. “I hate seeing our little baby assassin so upset. I think we should go cheer her up.” She stood up from the stool and walked around towards Abby and Patty. “After all,” She added, draping an arm over each of their shoulder’s. “She only lost by a few seconds.” 

Abby and Patty exchanged a quick glance before they both stood up, discarding of their shirts in a similar fashion. The three women stood in the kitchen, listening to the faint sound of the shower running down the hall. 

“Sounds like she’s not quite done yet.” Abby added, her hands finding Erin’s waist and snaking around her body until they were pressed together. “Mind if I start this party a little early?” She lifted herself slightly onto her toes to kiss Erin’s neck, the action followed quickly by a soft groan from the red head.  The taller woman’s body melted, her knees bent and her head rested down onto Abby’s shoulder. 

“Come on y’all, we should move this to a better location.” Patty purred into Abby’s ear and grabbed each of them by a wrist, dragging the two women down the hall and into Holtzmann’s bedroom. 

          The three of them were a mess of giggles and sloppy kisses and quick ass grabs as they shuffled towards the door at the far end of the floor. They tried to be quiet (unsuccessfully) but it didn't matter much since they could hear Holtzmann singing to herself.

         Patty pushed the door open and lead the other two women to the bed. Abby and Erin plopped down excitedly, immediately grabbing for each other and pulling into an embrace. 

         “Now wait a minute, y'all can't have all the fun yourselves.” Patty grinned, leaving the lights shut off as she pushed a knee between her friends. She leaned down so her lips were pressed to Erin's ear. “Take your clothes off, baby.” She purred, and she could feel Erin shiver underneath her before unbuttoning her jeans and lifting her hips to shove them off. 

         Abby followed suit without having to be asked, and bras came unhooked shortly thereafter. It was a mess of clothes being thrown to the ground and lips pressing against bare skin. Abby could feel a pair of warm hands grab her breasts, and by pure size she could tell they were Patty’s. She felt another pair of hands (Erin's, by process of elimination) gently spread her legs apart and stroke up and down her thighs.

         “Fuck.” Abby leaned her head back onto the mattress as Erin's tongue found her. Her body twisted around in the dark, trying to find the best position as a pair of lips crashed down onto hers. “Mhm” She moaned into Patty, her arms wrapping around the larger woman's neck. 

        The three women were in full swing as a sudden burst of light caught them off guard. Erin sat up, her lips wet with Abby, and the other two women broke off their embrace. The three of them looked to the doorway where a soaking wet, towel-wrapped, and incredibly confused looking Holtzmann stood. 

         The blonde locked eyes with all three of her crew members before an eyebrow raised. Her arms crossed and she popped a hip out. “So we can't have a foursome because I lost the bet, but you guys get to fuck each other in my bed? That seems fair.” 

         The room was quiet for a few seconds, everyone trying to decide what to say. Patty opened her mouth to let the blonde know she was more than welcome to join, but it was Erin who spoke up first. 

         “Holtzmann,” She started, moving her body around so she was propped up on one of her elbows. A hand moved slowly down her stomach to rest between her legs. “Come here.” She said softly as her knees spread apart, her fingers tracing slowly over her center. 

         Patty and Abby both stared, their mouths slightly open as they wanted Erin's fingers work. Holtzmann on the other hand, started to grin. She dropped her towel and shook out her hair before making her way over to the bed. Her knee propped up on the mattress as she leaned into Erin's open legs, her lips trailing kisses down until she placed a kiss on the back of the redheads hand. “Never in my life could I refuse an invitation like that.” She smirked.

         Erin smiled and moved her hand to grab ahold of Holtzmann's blonde curls. “You  _ did _ only lose by a few seconds.” 


	2. burnin' up

"I want you guys in and out, okay? No fucking around or I swear to god I will kill you all myself." Erin was standing at the kitchen counter, looking over their plans for the night. Their heist was fairly simple, but there was one small aspect Erin was overly concerned about. Should everything go to plan, the four of them would get to Sal's (a local bar- the disguise for an underground gambling den) at around 1AM, just after closing. One of the dealers owed Abby quite a bit of money after cheating her out of a game a few weeks ago. That, and Erin had pretty good intel that they were smuggling in her territory. 

All they had to do was go in, maybe beat up a few goons running around, and get the money Abby was owed (plus interest). The part that made Erin sweat however, was the knowledge that several tons of explosives and weaponry had been stolen a few days earlier, and Patty had helped her trace it to Sal's. It was unlikely that they would blow up their own building, but nevertheless, Erin wanted to be vigilant.

She looked up from her notes and saw the faces of her three teammates staring back at her. "Piece of cake." Patty waved her hand, grabbing her gun from the table and loading it with a full magazine. "Those assholes have been on my hit-list for a while. I'm ready to take 'em out." She stood up from her barstool and walked over the the door, picking up her pair of heavy-combat boots and beginning to lace them up.

"You can say that again." Abby added, already in full gear. She had her own modified holster strapped around her chest, it could hold up to three handguns, four knives and a pack of ammo. She always joked it was her way of packing light. The other three women knew she wasn't kidding.

“Lighten up, skinny Minnie, this is an easy gig.” Holtzmann smirked, checking her own gun before shoving it into the back of her jeans. Her hair was left in loose curls around her shoulders and her yellow glasses were situated on her nose. There was a look to her that would make the average person assume she was a school teacher, or maybe a soccer mom. Most people couldn’t guess that, at any given moment, she knew about 101 ways to take you out. She grabbed the AP pistol from the safe by the door and tossed it over to Patty. “You’re taking this tonight, it’s been too long since it’s been played with.” She winked. 

Patty rolled her eyes and uttered, “Suit yourself,” under her breathe before stuffing the weapon into her jacket. 

“Hey, listen you guys.” Erin’s voice was strong as ever, but the way the three of them looked over to her, she wondered if the could tell something was bothering her. “I want you all to wear yours coms.” She opened the kitchen drawer and pulled out four small ear pieces. They had almost entirely been retired and replaced with iMessage voice memos (Patty’s idea), but Erin kept them around just in case. 

“Are you serious?” Holtzmann pouted, taking her piece and holding it in her palm. “I hate these things. They itch like hell.” 

“Yeah, ErBear I don’t wanna wear this thing. This mission only gonna last about fifteen minutes anyway, baby.” Patty didn’t even bother to pick hers up. 

Abby crossed her arms and took hers, but kept silent. She gave Erin a knowing look before putting her piece in her ear and switching it on. 

“To be honest, I don’t give a shit if you guys don’t want to wear them.” The harsh tone of her voice left a sting in the air as it resonated for a few seconds. Erin took Patty’s piece in her hand and shoved it towards the other woman, who, slowly, took it from her. “You’re going to wear them. And not just because I want you to.” Erin raised her eyebrows and looked at each of them. She knew there would be no fights over it. 

* * *

 

The ride over to Sal’s was only about twenty minutes, but it was tense. None of them said much of anything that wasn’t directly related to the heist. When they arrived, the sidewalk was barren and the bright neon sign that usually illuminated the front of the building was switched off. The four women split up, each saying their silent prayer to whatever god they believed in, and set on their course.

Erin was in charge of getting the money, through any means necessary. She had her favorite engraved magnum handgun resting at her side as she crept along the outermost wall of the building. They were all used to killing people, but perhaps none more so than Erin (although Holtz was a close second). She’d been a killer since she was a teenager, and very seldom did she let her emotions get out of line. She was sure tonight would be no exception. 

Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Abby and Patty heading through the main entrance. She knew they would be fine, the two of them were more protective of each other than perhaps any of them. Holtzmann had disappeared from her view before she could confirm she had followed the plan. Fingers crossed. 

She continued up the fire escape towards the second floor apartment. More than likely, that’s where the money would be. The night air was still around her as her feet made echoing sounds on every rung of the ladder. She tried to step through quietly, but the wood beneath her creaked and she could hear someone from the other room get up. She pulled a gun out and hid behind the door, hoping whoever it was was unarmed. As it opened, she could see no more than an extended arm pointing a knife. It took a lot for her to not silently make a  _ knife to a gunfight _ joke to herself as she rounded the door and shot him pointblank through the forehead. He fell limp to the floor and she searched his pockets, producing a small silver key. 

Any other day, she would’ve been thrilled that this was going so quickly, but she hadn’t yet heard any noise coming from downstairs, and she was starting to get a little anxious. She tried to distract herself from the feeling of dread in her stomach by attempting to find the safe the key was for. 

* * *

Abby and Patty walked through the doors which were, surprisingly, still unlocked. The bar was dark and quiet, but a cigarette still burned on the counter. They shuffled towards the door at the back, where Abby knew the entrance to the makeshift casino was, for lack of a better term. 

As Abby was about to open the door, the sound of a lighter flicking on caught their attention. Patty slowly stepped towards the kitchen and motioned for Abby to continue down the stairs. They weren’t usually ones to split up, but Patty wanted to make sure no one was going to come at them from behind. 

As the taller woman disappeared around the corner, Abby descended the steps and entered through the archway into the dimly lit cellar. She had a few choice words she wanted to share with her favorite dealer, and no better time than the present.

* * *

The blonde pulled the gun from the back of her jeans and backed up against the back wall of the building. According to the plan, she was supposed to be back-up for Patty and Abby, but Holtz was nothing if not a wild card. She popped out from cover and delivered two perfect head-shots through the guards that were positioned outside the back door. 

She entered through the door slowly, and noticed a few large crates near a table in the corner. Her years of being undercover told her there was probably either a shitload of drugs, or a shitload of guns in there. Either way, there was sure to be someone protecting it. 

Almost on cue, several men came through the door opposite her and drew their guns when they noticed their guest. Thankfully, Holtzmann’s reflexes were  _ exceptional  _ (her own words). She managed to avoid the first round of bullets and land a shot into the larger guy on the left, but as she dodged to hide behind the crates, a bullet missed her ear by a few inches and instead busted through the wood, exposing to her what they had been hiding in there. The next few moments happened in perfect slow motion, as Holtzmann’s eyes lit up with sparks and she ran as quickly as she could back out the door.

* * *

The explosion happened quickly. Gunshots fired in every direction, but as the blast started they were the least of anyone’s concern. 

* * *

Erin could feel the ground shake beneath her feet and she yelled. Whether out of fright for her own life or for those of her friends, it was a gamble. The window behind her had been blown out and the street beneath her was lit up with brilliant orange and yellow light. She held an arm over her mouth as the smoke started to pour out. 

“Oh my god.” She ran, through the next room and towards the fire escape. She could hear sirens in the distance, but tried her best to ignore them as she flew down the ladder on the side of the building, her feet landing hard on the pavement below. An arm raised to shield her eyes from the blaze, and her heart sunk. The entire lower floor of the building was up in flames.

* * *

“Patty? Holtz?” Abby called out, the fire behind her raging and threatening to overtake her location in minutes. “Anybody! I need help! Get me out of here!” The line rang dead as the device in her ear melted from the heat, and Abby could feel every inch of her skin start to burn. Her lungs filled with smoke and her eyes were red and sore as she frantically tried to find her way back out. The room was almost completely filled with thick, black smoke, so she fell to her hands and knees and began to crawl, feeling for where she thought the door to the staircase was. 

She could hear screams and the cracking sound of wood all around her. Her hands had found the surface of the door she was searching for, but before she could reach the handle, the door swung open in front of her. 

* * *

“Motherfucking pieces of  _ shit _ !” Holtzmann sang as she made her way around the building, a bullet going into everybody that tried to escape. Sure, it wasn’t in the books to kill everyone in the bar, but it also hadn’t been in the books to potentially blow up all of her team. So, she figured, it was a fair trade. Her blonde hair whipped around behind her as she kicked down the door in front of her. She took a step inside and tried to find anything or anyone familiar, but the smoke clouded most of her field of view. She pulled her shirt up over her mouth and entered the room carefully, sidestepping and avoiding the blotches of fire around her. “ _ Babies _ !” She called, taking note of the soft  _ buzz _ in her ear that told her the com was dead. “Erin!” A bit of the ceiling collapsed next to her. “Abby!” She yelled as a loud crack echoed through the room. “Somebody!  _ Please _ !” She cried out, her eyes tearing up from the smoke. Her lungs ached as they filled and she slowly backed out, knowing she wouldn’t be able to last long in here. 

She cursed as she ran back out through the door behind her. A fit of coughs overtook her as her brain went into overdrive. If they were inside of that building, she had to do something. Fuck her own safety, she couldn’t go on with herself if any of them were still inside… 

“Holzmann!” 

The blonde turned around, her eyes red and raw from crying, her gun pointed towards the sound of the voice behind her. She was doubled over in pain from her chest, and she nearly collapsed when she saw who was standing in front of her. 

Erin let go of the fire ladder and ran forward, not even waiting for Holtzmann to lower her gun before her arms flew around her in an embrace. Erin’s entire body was shaking. She leaned back and kissed the blonde several thousand times all over her beautiful  _ alive _ face. “Thank god.” 

“Erin. I’m so sorry.” Holtzmann coughed out, her voice barely audible. The mob queen shushed her and took her hand, leading the two of them out towards the front of the building where the fire hadn’t quite spread to yet. The sirens Erin had heard earlier were still distant, yet definitely closer.

“Have you heard from anyone?” She asked, feeling her heart sink as Holtzmann shook her head. “Stay here.” She demanded, pushing the blonde back lightly, knowing that,  _ like hell _ she was going to stay. 

Erin ran inside, her arm over her mouth, and ran towards the hallway on the left. If Abby and Patty were down in the basement when the bomb went off… “Fuck.” She said to herself, hearing the footsteps of Holtzmann follow her down the staircase. The smoke was worse at the bottom but she kept going. 

“Get me out! Get me out!  _ Please _ !” 

Erin ran faster, recognizing the voice instantly. She kicked down the door at the bottom of the landing and a massive gust of smoke ran into them. The two women fell backwards onto the ground and Erin could feel her head smack against something hard. Holtzmann tried to stand again, but her lungs were aching so badly she could hardly manage it. 

* * *

Patty didn’t know what to do. The bodies of several men lay at her feet, bleeding out slowly all over the kitchen floor. The smoke was coming in through the vents at her feet and she backed out into the main bar. She couldn’t hear much of anything as her ears rang over and over again. Her head felt like it was about to burst, but she did catch a faint hint of screams coming from the basement. Against her instincts, Patty ran towards the engulfed staircase and down the steps, nearly tripping over the two bodies at the bottom of the stairs. “Holy hell,” through the black she could see Abby’s figure, slowly crawling through through the open doorway, and the unconscious body of Erin laying next to the almost unconscious body of Holtz. 

Patty jumped over them for now and over to Abby, helping her up and instructing her, as best as she could, that she would need to help her get the other two out of there. Abby nodded. The room was now almost completely filled with smoke, but the two of them could see it clear at the top of the stairs. If they could just get up, they’d be out of there. Patty lifted Holtzmann over her shoulder easily, actually taking a sigh of relief as she heard her cough. At least she was still alive. The same couldn’t as easily be said for Erin. 

Abby picked up Erin, hooking an arm under her knees and around her shoulders. Her body stayed limp, and they could see small drops of blood coming from her head. It was a struggle to climb the stairs, the extra weight of another body bearing heavily on them, but there was no way they were going to die down there. 

Eventually, they reached the top of the stairs and Patty pulled Abby though the kitchen and out the door in there. The air outside burned their lungs even more. Patty was so disoriented that it took her longer than normal to remember where they had parked the car. 

* * *

The morning sun rose above New York city, and the faint sound of a TV could be heard. A news anchor talked of a massive explosion inside of a local bar, how there had been no survivors and nearly none of the building had remained. Coffee brewed in the kitchen and the AC whirred, delivering fresh, clean air throughout the house. 

Patty was the first awake. With the least amount of smoke inhalation, her body was in the best shape. Although, she was  _ far  _ from okay. They had all slept in the living room that night, all of them refusing to take their sights off of the others. The first aid center in the firehouse was, luckily enough, equipped with oxygen. 

Patty gave the first to Holtzmann, who couldn’t even speak. She tried to refuse until someone helped Erin, but the burning in her lungs made it hard for her to say no as Patty positioned the mask over her nose. Holtzmann also had a few broken ribs, so she was propped against the couch, shirtless, with several miles of bandages wrapped around her chest. She woke up that morning when she smelled the coffee. Her gravelly voice was music to Patty’s ears.

Abby needed the next mask. Her voice was hoarse and virtually nonexistent, but it was there. She had a sprained ankle, second degree burns on her neck and fingers, and bruised on nearly every surface of her skin. She slept on the floor, on top of mounds of ice packs and surrounded by empty bottles of Aloe Vera gel. When she woke up she complained about not being able to sleep on the couch. Holtzmann and Patty shared a warm look.

Erin was in the worst condition. Frankly, although she wouldn’t have admitted it to the others, Patty had been afraid she wasn't going to wake up. Whatever she hit her head on must have done some pretty good damage, as Erin had needed a few crude, handmade stitches. Patty let her sleep with a mask on, and had pumped her full of anti-inflammatory junk and pain relievers Abby insisted they keep in the cabinets. She took much longer to wake up than the others. It was practically mid-day when the three of them heard a grumbling coming from the sofa. Holtzmann had hobbled over and sat by her feet, rubbing a thumb over her legs to coax her into waking up. 

“Erin. Everyone’s okay. Well, okay is a relative term, and actually, now that I think about it, none of us are okay, but that’s not really the point.” Abby shushed her from across the room. “Fine, fine,” Holtz smiled. “Wake up, baby.”

Erin’s eyes fluttered and winced at the sun that shone through the open curtains. She focused on Holtzmann’s face and the red cheeks she had. It was silent for a while as they all took it in. They were fine. They were alive. Thank fucking God.

“So,” Erin started, her voice scratching her throat. Abby and Patty listened on from the kitchen. “Did nobody get the fucking money?” She grinned.  


	3. baby

The lights of the firehouse flicked off and, from the outside eye, all was still. A busy night of low-level robberies had tired the four criminals. Patty, Abby, and Holtzmann were a mess of limbs on the king sized bed in Erin’s room. She grinned as she looked over to them. _If only_ , she thought, _there was a way to stay in this moment and never leave._ Her daydream was shattered as the phone on her bedside table vibrated. She grabbed it and read.

_You know the address. Might want to hurry. It’s been a long time, baby._

As her girlfriends and partners in crime slept, Erin got ready for the worst, and possibly last, night of her life. If it were any other case, she would have woken them all up and called for backup, but this was different. This was her mess, and she needed to clean it up herself.

Erin laced up her boots, sticking a small, purple handgun into the cuff of one and a retractable knife into the other. Her black skinny jeans were ripped in both knees and the leather jacket she was wearing had definitely seen better days, but it was special. Erin called it her good luck charm.

Her hair was just long enough to be tied up into a tight bun on top of her head. She secured it and looked in the mirror. A woman she recognized, but couldn’t say she really knew, stared back at her. She wondered silently if the man she was going to meet would even recognize her.

“Stupid fucking question.” She huffed, cocking her gun before stuffing it into the back of her jeans.

The ride wasn’t all that long, but Erin drove as slowly as she could make herself (which was, in actuality, still about 10 above the speed limit). The streets of New York seemed unusually quiet, as if they had evacuated in preparation for the damage Erin was going to unleash.

She watched the street signs fly past her, and felt a strange twinge in her stomach as they started to grow more and more familiar to her. Almost there. _Three more blocks_ **.** Erin could feel her stomach do flips. _Two more blocks_ . She anxiously checked that the gun was still in her pocket. _One more block_.

Her car slowed to a stop and pulled up alongside the yard of the home she’d grown up in. The same slightly-yellowed brick exterior still in need of a long overdue power wash. A broken shutter hung loosely off the front window, and Erin could tell, even in the dark, that the tire swing she and her mom had set up when she was young still adorned the large oak in front of her. Every instinct told her to turn and run, to go back to her girls and live in (relative) safety. _Don’t go in that house. Please, Erin, don’t go in there. You don’t want to see what’s inside. You don’t-_

Her phone buzzed and caught her attention. Erin unlocked it and read the message.

_I know you’re out there. Door’s locked, but I expect you know where the spare key is hidden. Supper’s waiting, baby._

A snarl appeared on her face as her blood started to boil. She quickly exited the car and slammed the door shut as hard as she could, racing up the cobblestone steps. Her heels echoed clearly down the empty neighborhood street and she kicked up the welcome mat underneath the door, revealing a small silver key. Erin picked it up, turning it around in her palm a few times. It was the same one. Erin remembered drawing a smile on it when she was young.

She huffed out a deep breath and unlocked the door, swinging it open slowly and revealing to her the dark interior of her childhood home. Nothing was familiar as she had hoped. Perhaps that would make this easier. She was about to pull her gun out when a light flicked on in the kitchen, the shadow of a man cast towards her.

“You don’t want to shoot me, Erin.” His voice was sure, and was so familiar it made the mob queen want to throw up.

“Don’t tell me what I want.” She pulled the gun out and pointed it perfectly at the back of his head, her finger itching on the trigger.

The man turned around and Erin let out an involuntary gasp, the grip on her firearm faltering. His face was rigid, with hard lines around his jaw. The short beard he wore was neatly manicured and the tattoo above his left eyebrow still read _gratitude_. Erin’s mind quickly  flashed back to the first memory she had of him.

* * *

 The sun was shining and she could hear birds singing. She was six years old, going to be seven in just over a month. The backpack she had strapped around her shoulders was much too heavy for her, and she struggled to carry the weight of the books she had checked out of the library. A bead of sweat dripped from her eyebrow before the weight was suddenly gone. She looked around to see a man behind her, flashing a kind smile down to her level.

“This bag is much too heavy for you, young one. Where are you going with all of this?” He asked, his voice chipper. Erin remembered thinking he smelled of cotton candy.

 “Home!” She cheered, the smile she gave him made him laugh, since she was missing both of her front teeth. “I checked out too many books, but it’s okay because the librarian likes me and knows my mom.” She explained, reaching her arms out for her bag.

 “Oh no, I can carry this for you,” He slung the bag over his shoulder, holding his hand out for her to grab. “I’ll walk you home, baby.”

 Erin frowned slightly, looking the man over as her eyes settled on the tattoo above his eyebrow. “I’ve never seen a tattoo there before. What does it say? I can't read words that big, yet.” She inquired, taking the man’s hand into her own.

 He smiled and gripped onto her hand much too tight for someone being friendly. “It says ‘gratitude’ little one, it means being thankful, and paying someone back for something nice they’ve done for you.” Erin grinned her toothy grin and started to walk towards home. It was too late before she had noticed the van pull up next to them.

* * *

 “It’s been a long time, baby.” He smirked, his eyes going up and down her body several times. Erin could actually feel the bile rise up in her throat. “You’ve still got your figure, I see. I could fuck you raw and I bet you’d still be clay in my hands.” He stated, his words lingering in the silence.

 Erin spat in his direction, her gun still pointing directly at him. “I don’t belong to you anymore. I’ve paid off my debt. If that’s what you’d even call it.”

 He scowled, stepping closer to her and turning the living room lights on. The familiar scene around her illuminated and Erin nearly dropped to her knees and wept, she would have, if her training had not been so thorough.

 Beneath her feet, tied up against the couch were her parents. Their hands and legs were bound and their eyes were covered. Erin couldn’t help but notice how quiet they were as they sat in the blood-soaked carpet. “Are they dead?” She asked, trying to remain as strong as she knew she could be, but her voice had gone soft. The man smirked again, his eyes not leaving Erin.

 “Might as well be. If they stay unconscious for another, oh,” He raised his arm to check the watch he wore. “Fifteen minutes? Give or take, depending on their strength-” He winked at her, and Erin growled. “They’ll be dead.”

 Erin’s mind raced as she tried to remember the police response time in this neighborhood. An ambulance could be there in four minutes. Her parents could be in the hospital and into the ER in less than ten minutes. She had to act now.

 “Fuck you.” She raised her gun, taking a step forward and her finger squeezed the trigger, but before the gun could go off a large spotlight suddenly clicked on and shone in her face, disorienting her for just long enough for the man to cross over to her. He grabbed her wrist, making the gun in her hand fall roughly to the floor. Erin cried out, the sound of snapping in her arm cracking through her ears as he bent her arm behind her back and shoved her face first into the wall.

 “I didn’t raise you to turn against me, _Erin_.” He grunted, pressing his body hard against hers to stop her from squirming. “I raised you to be grateful to me, for saving you from this life. You were never born to be normal. You were born to be a killer. For me. You were the best I’ve ever had.” His mouth pressed down on her neck and Erin tried to struggle, tried all she could to get out of his hold, but he was much stronger than she was.

His hand grabbed a fistful of her hair and moved her head around so his lips could wander all over her. Her body was twisted in such an angle that any motion she could manage at all send waves of pain over her. This was it. It was too late to save her parents, and too late to save herself. She let out a sigh and she went limp, no longer deciding to spend the energy to escape. _At least my girls are safe_. She thought as her eyes closed.

“That’s what I thought, baby. You belong to me.” His hands reached around her and stuffed themselves into her pants as the door burst open.

A loud noise flooded the space and Erin screamed, falling to her knees and covering her ears to stop them from ringing. Through the temporary deafness Erin could still hear movement and she opened her eyes. Nothing she could have ever dreamt of was as beautiful as what was happening around her.

“Abby, go get her, hurry!” Holtzmann yelled before she crossed over to the bleeding lump of asshole on the carpet and shot him _one, two, three_ more times point-blank. Erin’s eyes moved over to Patty, who was already on the phone.

“Call 911, my parents-” She screamed before she was cut off by Abby grabbing her around her shoulder and lifting her up.

“It’s okay, Erin. She’s already calling. Your parents are going to be OK.” Abby let go of her, but Erin faltered as she realized she couldn’t support her own weight. Abby’s arm swung around her to support her. “Can you hear me?” Her voice was muffled, but Erin was almost sure she understood.

Erin nodded her head and felt her body go limp as she passed out. “Motherfucker.” Holtzmann stomped her boot down on his nose and spat down onto him.

  
“Baby, I get it okay, but you gotta help me get her parents out of here.” Patty grabbed Holtzmann and spun her around, who proceeded to grab Erin’s parents and carry them out into the front yard, a safe distance away from the house. Abby had managed to carry Erin’s body out and into the backseat of the car Erin drove here with.

“I’m taking her back to the firehouse. You two deal with this.” Abby shouted before racing off down the street.

Holtzmann and Patty looked at each other briefly before nodding. Holtz grabbed a molotov from the backseat of the van they arrived in and tossed it through the front window. Her face lit up as the house went up in flames. “I’m so sorry, Erin.” She could feel a tear roll down her cheek as Patty grabbed her. “Come on, we gotta ditch. The ambulance is gonna be here any minute.” The taller woman ran back into the van and started it up, her foot stomping down on the gas pedal as soon as the blonde climbed into the front seat. The sound of a siren faded from their perception as they raced back into the city.

* * *

 When she woke up, Erin was wrapped in a blanket on the couch. Her body was stiff and her arm was aching worse than she’d ever felt. She went to sit up when an arm reached over and stopped her.

“Don’t move. I’ll get you some Vicodin.” Holtzmann’s soft voice was calming, but as the memories of the past night returned to her Erin started to panic. She sat up quickly and the head rush that followed nearly knocked her out. “What the fuck did I say?” Holtz scowled as she came back in with a pill bottle and glass of water. “Guys! She’s up!” She called as Abby and Patty rushed into the room.

“Are you okay?” They both asked quickly, but Erin could give a shit about herself.

“Are my parents dead?” The room sat in a brief, uncomfortable silence before Patty spoke up.

“They were rushed to the hospital as fast as possible. They both had pretty severe internal bleeding and had been stabbed several times.” She looked down to the floor as she spoke, not wanting to make eye contact.

“Are they dead?” Erin asked again, her eyes drooping, and the feeling of being sick rising in her stomach.

“Your father is dead.” Patty said, following quickly with, “Your mother is still in intensive care, but she’ll make it.”

“Erin, baby, I’m so sorry….” Abby said, her head shaking in disbelief.

“ _Don’t call me that._ ” Erin growled, her knuckles clenching and the heat of rage taking over the feeling of being sick. She could have sworn she was about to burst, but before she could scream she started to cry.

The sobs that came from the mob queen were instantly met with the three other women moving around her, embracing her in a tight hug. Erin squeezed her eyes shut and let herself be held. The women she loved knew next to nothing about her past, Holtzmann was the only one with even a slight idea of what she had been through.

Erin made a pact to herself, then and there, as the four of them huddled together on the couch, arms and legs tangled, that she would never leave them again.

 


End file.
